The author(s)

Washington, D.C.- This week, President Trump’s approval rating has dipped slightly from the Thanksgiving holiday boost, down 3-points to 41% among all Americans. Republicans (82%) continue to strongly approve of the job that Trump is doing, while Democrats remain highly critical, with just 14% approving. Just one- third (32%) of the public says that the country is heading in the right direction, this perception is relatively unchanged from last week (33%). Republicans continue to be the most optimistic about the direction of the country, with two-thirds (64%) reporting that America is headed in the right direction. Democrats overwhelmingly feel America is headed off on the wrong track (79%).

When it comes the major issues facing the nation, healthcare (20%) and immigration (17%) remain at the top of mind for most Americans. Democrats are more likely to say healthcare is the biggest problem facing the country (26%) more than any other issue. Republicans report that immigration (30%) is the biggest problem America faces.

President Trump continues to receive moderate approval of his handling of international trade (41%) following the summit of G20 world leaders in Argentina this past weekend and reports that President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed American/Chinese trade relations. Trump continues to receive the strongest support for his handling of employment and jobs (52%), and his lowest approval ratings on his handling of another G20 country – Russia (34%).

The bump in approval that Congress enjoyed following the midterm election has bounced back to 26% - a four-point drop from mid-November. Americans continue to be more likely to approve of their individual Representative, with almost half (45%) of Americans saying they support their Congressperson.

About this Study

These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted for Thomson Reuters between November 28-December 4, 2018. For the survey, a sample of 2,401 Americans, including 906 Democrats, 780 Republicans, and 390 Independents ages 18+ were interviewed online. The precision of the Reuters/Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points for all adults, 3.7 percentage points for Democrats, 4.0 percentage points for Republicans, and 5.7 percentage points for Independents. For more information about credibility intervals, please see the appendix.

The data were weighted to the U.S. current population data by gender, age, education, and ethnicity. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Figures marked by an asterisk (*) indicate a percentage value of greater than zero but less than one half of one per cent. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. To see more information on this and other Reuters/Ipsos polls, please visit http://polling.reuters.com/.

About Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. In Canada, the U.S., UK, and internationally, Ipsos Public Affairs is the media polling supplier to Reuters News, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry.

With offices in 89 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,780.5 million in 2017.